Child Welfare Practice in Rural North Carolina

North Carolina is a progressive, prosperous state in a rich, future-oriented country. We have beautiful cities and world class universities. We have the Research Triangle Park, a source of innovation for the technology and pharmaceutical industries. Right now people from all over the U.S. are choosing to move to our state for a better life.

Some of them seek—and find—this better life in our state’s many rural communities, which can be wonderful places to live, work, and raise a family.

But life in rural North Carolina is not easy for everyone. Many in the rural parts of our state struggle with the loss of jobs, poor educational attainment, lack of health care, child poverty, lack of transportation, and a host of other challenges.

If you work in the field of child welfare you’ve probably seen this struggle up close. You know how hard it can be to help rural families overcome the difficulties they face.

Yet you also know rural communities can be incredibly resourceful places where people know and support each other. That they can be great places to practice social work.

This is certainly what we heard from those participating in UNC-CH’s Rural Success Project (see first article). This issue of Practice Notes reflects this message and presents some of what we have learned about successful child welfare practice in a rural context.